Was just looking through Social Science in Caucasus and found links to two Georgian blogs I had never encountered before — We — Georgians, and Writern. The first is particularly interesting in terms of diversity, and posts are in English and Georgian. In addition to carrying details of the iPod Purchasing Power Parity Index I posted about here, it also contains some other interesting snippets of information.

For example, despite having far lower internet costs in Georgia, the number of users is lower than Armenia. There, only 3.75 out of 100 people use the Internet whereas it is 5.03 out of 100 here in Armenia. That puts Georgia at 138th place in terms of global Internet use, and Armenia at 124th. However, Azerbaijan leads the way with 18.4 per 100 and a ranking of 85th place. The same blog also reports that Playboy will soon start publishing in Georgian.

As media.ge reports Georgia will become third country in the CIS where “Playboy” Magazine will be published. Monthly circulation will be 15 thousand and magazine will cost 5 GEL.

(more…)

While the Diaspora and nationalist parties turn their attention to the rise of ultra-nationalism in Turkey, increasing racially motivated violence against Armenians and other nationalities in Russia continues to be ignored even by those parties that say they will protest the killing of Armenians anywhere.

“The Armenian youth can never put up with the terrorist acts against any Armenian in any country. The murders of Gourgen Margaryan and Hrant Dink tell us one thing: Turkey is still not ready for constructive dialogue with Armenia”, said Abraham Gasparyan, member of “Nikol Aghbalyan” youth union.

(more…)

The Center for Regional Development/Transparency International Armenia will be presenting its 2006 Corruption Perception Survey tomorrow at the Congress Hotel in Yerevan at 10.30 am. Representatives of state institutions, political parties, non-governmental and international organizations, as well as media will participate in the event. If you are interested in attending please contact Irina Karapetyan at crd@transparency.am.

Via What Democracy Means, the Armenian President has apparently set 12 May as the date for Armenia’s Parliamentary Election. This is the date that many expected, and PanArmenian.Net confirms this.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Parliamentary elections in Armenia will be held May 12, 2007. Yesterday Armenian President Robert Kocharian signed the corresponding decree, the PanARMENIAN.Net journalist was told in presidential Press Office.

Meanwhile, RFE/RL reports that one of the parties making up the current coalition Government, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation — Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D), has said that it will not support the presidential ambitions of the Defense Minister, Serzh Sarkisyan.

A top leader of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) repeated on Monday that the influential party will not support Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian in next year’s presidential election.

[…]

Dashnaktsutyun, meanwhile, is continuing to distance itself from President Robert Kocharian’s cabinet in which it is represented by four ministers. Markarian showed journalists newly printed booklets that describe the party’s track record in government as a success. The pre-election booklets at the same time tell voters that Dashnaktsutyun has only 11 seats in the current 131-seat National Assembly and lacks influence on government policies.

(more…)

Via CRRC Caucasus, Marginal Revolution looks at the price of an Apple iPod in various countries and suggests comparing the cost of one unit as some kind of economic indicator. CRRC Caucasus introduces the concept better, though.

Half-serious, half-joking, the Economist put forward the Big Mac Index as a comparative tool to measure purchasing power and currency valuation. The idea was that McDonald’s, wherever it is, has standardized procedures for doing identical Big Macs — consequently price differences should be fairly indicative of discrepancies in purchasing power. […]

Recently an Australian bank suggested a similar comparison of iPods. Arguably this is more of an indicator for smart predatory pricing, since iPods sell for much more than their production costs. So what does this mean for our region of the world? You probably would expect sales price in the South Caucasus to be fairly homogenous.

Well, it isn’t. Taking the 2 GB Nano iPod for comparison, the newly opened Apple shop in Yerevan asks its customers for a cool 288 US dollars. In Tbilisi, the same iPod will set you back 224 US dollars, whereas in Baku, the Apple website lists its price as 199 US dollars.

(more…)

The Armenian Tree Project (ATP) is planning to plant a forest of 53,000 trees in memory of Hrant Dink. The organization seems to like undertaking symbolic actions, but I would never have expected something like this.

Hrant Dink was a brave and principled man. He was killed by people who hated him for what he was and what he said. His death was a loss to the Armenian community in Istanbul and around the world. Perhaps this tragedy will serve as a catalyst for change in Turkey. Over one hundred thousand people marched in his funeral procession in Istanbul, many of them carrying signs saying, “We are all Hrant.”

All the Armenians I know are talking about how to pay tribute to Hrant. A group of donors called Jeff Masarjian at ATP last week and suggested that we plant a memorial forest of 53,000 trees–1,000 trees for each of Hrant’s fifty-three years. Because that’s what we do–plant trees in Armenia–we thought this was something we could offer in Hrant Dink’s memory. I am hoping that you will join us in creating this living tribute to a courageous and exemplary man.

(more…)

RFE/RL reports that a man has been arrested by Turkish police after hijacking a ferry and threatening to blow it up. The incident was apparently in response to “pro-Armenian” slogans displayed on placards at the funeral of Hrant Dink.

The man, claiming to have plastic explosives on him, seized the ferry as it was on its way from Gelibolu to Lapseki late Saturday, Gov. Yusuf Ziya Ince told NTV. He gave himself up to police after 2 1/2 hours, Ince said. The man was armed but was not carrying any explosives, Ince said.

Television footage showed the man shouting: “I did it for the country,” as he was being led away from the ferry to a police vehicle.

Ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, who spoke out about the mass killings of Armenians in the early 20th century, was gunned down outside his newspaper a week ago. His funeral inspired a massive outpouring of support for reconciliation between Armenians and Turks.

Ince and ferry passengers said the man was angered by the pro-Armenian slogans chanted at the funeral.

(more…)

Global Voices has another roundup of posts from the Armenian and Turkish blogosphere detailing discussion in the aftermath of Hrant Dink’s murder, and the massive funeral that took place in Istanbul attended by 100,000 people. In contrast, a memorial for Dink held in Yerevan on the same day was attended by only 5,000.

Many questions were raised: is this the continuation of Turkish and Armenian animosity? Is Article 301 of the Turkish penal code to blame? Is it Turkish nationalism, ultra-nationalism? Or is it Muslim extremism? I personally doubt that an answer will ever be found, but I stand in awe of the healthy dialogue that this tragic event has given birth too.

Prior to his death, no one in the blogosphere was taking about Mr Dink. Now Technorati rates hundreds of blog posts devoted to this man.

(more…)

Bambir Midnight Bash, The Club, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2006

An email message posted to subscribers of a civil society mailing list bills tonight’s show by Bambir as their first in Yerevan, but what they mean is the first in a long, long time. For six months last year the Gyumri rock band played the club circuit in Los Angeles and other cities in the U.S., before returning to Armenia in December.

Tonight will be their first show here in something like eight months, and ironically coincides with Army Day in Armenia — as the email explained.

MURDER IN A UNIFORM IS HEROIC, IN A COSTUME IT IS A CRIME!

Abbie Hoffman

THE BAMBIR

On

The day of Armed Forces

LIVE SHOW AT “STOP CLUB” ON JANUARY 28, AT 09:00pm
Moskovyan 37, Stop Club

(more…)

Because I wasn’t subscribed to the RSS feed for the new Blogian, I missed a few posts that Simon made as I was still looking at the old site. Anyway, last week Blogian posted the English translation of the eulogy given by Dink’s wife at his funeral. It’s worth reposting some excerpts here.

Today we send off half of my soul, my beloved, the father of my children. We are going to actualize a march without any slogans and without any disrespect. Today we are going to generate immense sound through our silence.

Whoever the assassin may be, either 17 or 27 years’ old, I know myself that he too was once a baby. One cannot accomplish anything without questioning first how an assassin was created from such a baby.

It was Hrant’s honesty, transparency and love that brought him here. They say “he was a great man.” I ask you, Was he born great? No, he too was born just like us. He did not come from the skies, he too came from soil [like us]. It was what he did, the style he chose, the love in his heart that made him great. He became a great man because he thought great things and pronounced great words.

And you too are great for being here today. But do not let this suffice, do not be content with this act alone! One cannot accomplish a great future through hatred, through offense, through holding one blood superior to another. One can only rise through respect for the other.

(more…)

Met up with Thomas from Follow The Way last night and over one or two vodkas he told me a story. Now I see that he’s posted the tale of two of his friends. , and what a story. It sounds unbelievable at first, but as I’ve always considered myself fortunate not to get stuck in the middle of a mafia shoot out in Yerevan, I know full well that others aren’t so lucky.

This is the story of a married couple,. She’s native Armenian. He’s foreigner, but with Armenian roots still (what the hell would he be doing here otherwise).

Anyway, these two people are outstanding, cultivated, smart, easygoing, welcoming, in brief everything you could expect in this Caucasian world.

Moreover than being a really good friend, he’s a workmate, so he’s more than able to understand my situation, and the other way round.

This morning 7h, he calls me. I won’t come to work today. She’s been shot.

(more…)